The White Pink Dynamic
by InoSakuShine
Summary: A portal for my KakaSaku one-shots. Most involve Sakura and the awkward situations her crush on Kakashi gets her in. From mild to medium.
1. Aches

One-shots will range in genre, length, and Kakasaku intensity. Most have to do with Sakura in awkward situations or interesting dynamics. Requests and suggestions will be taken, let me know if you have an idea you want to see come to life!

*Warning: below fic mentions feminine problems.

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><p><strong>Aches<strong>

A spike of pain suddenly shot through her abdomen and she cringed—in the millisecond her eyes were closed Sasuke didn't hesitate in aiming a moderate kick to the same spot that pained her. He was surprised when the kick actually connected.

It felt like something inside of her _burst. _As if the unnecessarily debilitating pains from her menstrual cycle weren't enough, did Sasuke _really _have to kick her _abdomen? _On any of the other 23 days of the month she would have blocked it and sent a chakra-infused fist in his face, but on today of all days…

Well, Sakura wouldn't be at all surprised if her uterus just ruptured. That's what it felt like. She coughed and doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. Black fogged her vision as if someone flickered a light switch, and she collapsed on the ground, groaning.

No kunoichi should have to suffer through _this. _She could barely think straight. She grit her teeth and then saw Sasuke's shadow fall over her. She stared at his feet as he crouched down.

"Sakura… how could you let that kick land?" His tone of concern was reserved for her apparently deteriorating dodging skills. She moaned in pain again and drew her knees up to a more comfortable fetal position. She saw his feet disappear swiftly as the black haired idiot was nudged out of the way. And then:

"Sakura, are you alright?" The steady voice belonged to Kakashi Hatake, of course. At least his tone was a bit more genuine, if not methodical.

Sakura chose not to answer. She could imagine the silly mess she looked like, lying on the ground with her hair splayed over her face and the filthy dirt. But she didn't care. Not when another wave of pain pulsed through her abdomen. She screwed her eyes shut and pressed a hand to her stomach—although that wasn't the source of the pain.

Could she heal herself? Of course, although she didn't like to rely on chakra for a week of period cramps she was supposed to be able to endure naturally. But at this very moment, Sakura refrained from shoving her hand down her pants in from of her two male teammates. They probably wouldn't understand. That same lazy, but now urgent voice kept wafting through her ear drums.'

"Sakura? Sakura?"

But this Sakura was _oh_-too-content to lie on the ground, absorbing her own pain. She gave up.

"Practice is over." She heard Sasuke overhead grumble something like an apology for his "light" attack, but it didn't take him too long to amble away. He left her to Kakashi.

"Do you require medical attention?" Kakashi asked, unusually patient. She would have to get up sooner or later, but just not now. When she whimpered a little and buried her head deeper into the ground, he became more persistent.

"If you don't, you need to get home. Can you get up?" Disapproval lined his voice. She could care less. But then, in a deft movement she felt a hand on her back and neck, lifting her from her secure bundle of pain-relieving body contortion. Great—her ex-sensei had just scooped her up while she remained balled in the fetal style position.

"_Sensei_," she groaned, trying to ignore the searing pain ripping through her lower body. "Let me down."

"Sure, but before that, I'll need you to tell me what's wrong." Despite that, he began moving forward. God, she almost forgot how annoying the Copy Nin could be. Then again, she thought, she was probably acting like a petulant patient. But she couldn't explain to him _this…_

She shook her head feebly. "You wouldn't understand," she said. Hopefully that excuse wasn't as lame as it sounded. She was just embarrassed!

Unfortunately, Kakashi was not. She knew her former teacher was as blunt as a ten year old kunai and did not care what people would think as he carried her down the street in the bundle she was currently balled in.

"Well then…" his tone was suspicious. "You're going home."

_Damn it… _Her head bumped rhythmically against his hard, toned chest with every step. It took too much energy to fight with Kakashi and too much pain to be lowered on the ground… Besides, the warmth that was enveloping her now, being carried in his strong arms…. That silvery white hair that tickled the edges of her vision…

_Sakura, please. _She had to stop tacking attractive adjectives to Hatake Kakashi, of all people. He was her ex-sensei! She…

Sakura promptly fell asleep and the pain subsided.

Jostling, grumbling, someone speaking. When Sakura awoke, she was in front of her apartment and being lowered to the ground by Kakashi. She could hardly believe she fell asleep.

And the pain was dimming! Although it still hurt like hell.

"Kakashi-sen-" She cut off, catching the habit before it slipped out of her mouth. Kakashi once told them, his former students, that they should stop attaching "sensei" to his name, and she only did so because he offered. She thought it was incredibly touching and sweet coming from the stoic Copy Nin. Whenever she could, she remembered not to say it—although it felt strange.

"You're awake. Sakura, are you going to be alright now?" Kakashi stood in front of her, looking careless as ever with two hands shoved in his pockets. Such a familiar sight. She squirmed, uncomfortable, but she wanted to express her thanks. Even if he did embarrass her.

"Yes, thanks… It's just… um—"

"Food pills exacerbate the aches and pains that come along at that time of the month. But if you stop taking them when pulling night shifts at the hospital, you should be fine." His eye was arched and she could tell he was smiling, trying to be helpful.

Blunt as ever, Kakashi. Sakura was startled.

"B-B-But how did you…" He arched an eyebrow. The Jounin raised a gloved finger and touched it to his masked nose.

"I have a sensitive sense of smell—"

Mortified wasn't the word—seemingly on its own, Sakura's fist swung out and whaled him on the shoulder. This slightly delayed Kakashi's words as he paused to contemplate the horror etched on her face and the painful strength behind that punch. It only sent him back an inch. And then he continued –"And I can tell there is chocolate in your pockets. I've never known you to have a taste for it."

Mortification faded into more embarrassment, and then a nervous laugh escaped her throat.

"Oh," she ended lamely. "Thanks, sensei."

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><p>End. In my mind, the one-shot continues when Sakura collapses in pain and Kakashi comes in to help heal her ;)<p>

Reviews are appreciated.


	2. Chidori

**edit: **accidently included two fics in one!

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><p><strong>Chidori<strong>

Sakura did not usually have very vivid dreams. Maybe it was her nerves and excitement about getting to embark on a nostalgic mission with Kakashi and Naruto. Whatever it was that plagued her now, Naruto found _very_ amusing.

Kakashi, too was surprised—his female ex-student was usually the lightest sleeper of the bunch. Now, not even Naruto's loud-mouthed shouts could wake her to continue the mission.

The two stood over he, on each side of her sleeping bag while the pinkette grumbled, fidgeted and groaned. Naruto snickered wickedly.

"_Heh heh heh_… Sakura-chan's dreaming," he pointed out. He knew Kakashi was amused too, but the Jounin didn't hide his impatience to get on with the mission. So, Naruto cupped a hand to either side of his mouth and shouted as loudly as he could,

"SAKURA! Help! Help me, I'm injured!" The words seemed to have gotten through—at least, to the kunoichi's unconscious. She jerked in her sleeping bag and a determined look set upon her face, despite her closed eyes.

"Naruto…" she mumbled audibly. "Kakashi-sensei…_ No_…" Naruto bit his lip to keep from cracking up as the pinkette rolled around in her sleep.

"Sakura-chan talks in her sleep, too!" Kakashi sighed and rolled his eyes at the blonde's decision to egg her on. "Come on Sakura, you have to get up! Help us! We're under attack!"

Naruto stepped back as she flailed a little.

"No guys… It's my turn. It's my turn to save you! I'm coming!"

Naruto was clutching at his sides.

"I'll save you! Sakura's here! That's right…! Cha! Take that… I…."

They both jumped back a little when it looked like she began making some kind of hand signs. Kakashi's white eyesbrows shot up into his headband, wondering if someone could actually do jutsu in their sleep. Naruto seemed to be thinking the same, for the blonde stopped laughing and looked alert.

Suddenly, the girl thrust out a hand into the hair.

"RASENGAN!" She shouted.

There was a pause.

In between chokes of side-splitting laughter—"F-finish him off, Sakura-chan!" The hand fell limp and her face become tranquil. And then again, the pinkette shot another arm into the air for the finishing move.

"_CHIDORI_!"

Kakashi kept his laughter on the inside. _Chidori, _really?

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><p>Sakura woke up from a very odd dream, one she couldn't remember. She was also confused as to why her two teammates were standing in front of her sleeping bag.<p>

_Perverts._

On second thought, Naruto was laughing loudly and Kakashi was giving her a strange look, though she could tell he, too, was grinning under his mask. She put a hand on her hip and rose from her sleeping arrangement.

"What the hell are two laughing at?" she ground out, a little cranky. Was her hair a mess or something? She smoothed it down nervously.

Nothing could have been more adorable.

"Shouldn't we get going?" she demanded, infuriated by the look Kakashi's eye was giving her. Something akin to—"How cute." He raised his hands in self-defense.

"Sure, Sakura, just don't _chidori _me."

And then, to her horror, she remembered the dream-complete with her "borrowed" moves.


	3. Subtlety

Sorry for the one person who already read this when I included it on accident.

Please review and request!

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><p><strong>Subtlety <strong>

"Sakura? … Can I ask you something?"

The said girl paused between a bite of a PB&J sandwich to look quizzically at Sai. When Sai wanted to ask a question, _you _wanted to be cautious. A part of her just wanted to say no, but the atmosphere was too nice to ruin with rudeness. After a good spar, she somehow convinced Sai and Kakashi-sensei to have lunch at the nearby picnic table. It was nice and serene to take a break for the fighting to be peaceful; even if Kakashi's nose was stuck in a volume of Icha Icha the whole time.

"Sure," Sakura said, half-heartedly bracing yourself. Sai's even voice rang out:

"As a friend, I should ask you how your date with Hideki went yesterday." There was a dull them as Sakura's head hit the table.

Sai thought he could feel the depression radiate off of her. Maybe he shouldn't have asked at all.

"Don't ask me that," she ground out. "It wasn't even a date."

The last thing she wanted to do was discuss her love life with an emotionally inept former Root member and her former sensei, who would just pretend not to listen anyways. They probably thought there was something wrong with her. She was starting to think that, too…

"My apologies, Sakura, but you did say yesterday it was a date." Sakura picked her head up from the table, trying not to squish the sandwich between her thumbs.

"Would you drop it? There was nothing remotely date-like about it, okay?" She shuddered. "He had the romantic abilities of a Sasuke-type and the manners of a Naruto."

At this, a small sigh escaped Kakashi, she was sure of it. The bastard better not be laughing at her, on the inside or out. In fact, the Copy Nin, seated at the far end of the table appeared not to be paying attention. Sakura frowned, feeling sorry for herself and the two guys who would never understand her pathetic misery…

"It sounds like you are failing at dating," Sai pointed out seriously. While Sakura bristled with anger, he innocently pulled out a little red book for some light reading.

"No, _Sai, _I'm not failing, _thank you very much."_

_ I'm so failing._

"I can perform a double-cardiac chakra-fused bypass in a midnight shift but I can't get a good date," she admitted, finally deflating. Sai looked at her, trying to appear concerned. In truth, he keenly noticed the dip in the girl's usually cheerful spirit. He had a lot of questions about it, but he wasn't sure how to ask them in a manner that would not warrant a super-strength slap to the face.

"Why don't you try another chuunin—"

"No, no, no! They're all the same. I'm sick of the immature boys," the kunoichi lamented energetically, leaning her face into her hand. "Kakashi-sensei, when do boys stop being little boys and become men?"

He might know, she thought.

He only tore his black eye from Icha Icha for a millisecond.

"Hm, did you say something?"

"I have my answer!" she spat back. "Apparently, never."

"Harsh," Kakashi commented nonchalantly and went back to his book. Sakura knew despite outward appearances, the Jounin had been listening. Probably with distaste. Sai went back to flipping open his new book. Craning her neck a little, she could just make out the title: Aha.

Gross. it was that weirdo book Sensei had given Sai a while back, entitled _Ways to Get to a Woman's Heart. _The boy had been quoting it ever since, like a Bible. She sighed and went back to that sandwich.

She forgot Sai liked to try to be helpful.

"Sakura, have you tried older men?"

"I don't want your advice."

"Okay." He didn't stop reading.

"_Hmmm_," he hummed, flipping a page. The pinkette put down her sandwich. Was he really doing this on purpose? Jeesh, it wasn't like the answers to her problems lied in that book any more than they might have been secretly coded into Kakashi's Icha Icha Paradise!

"Alright, what is it now?" Sakura asked. Kakashi for once looked up over his own book, curious to find that Sai had been subscribing to his little gift. Maybe he shouldn't have given it to him, knowing it would be taken so seriously…

"It says women often ignore or appear disinterested in the men they may really desire. Could it be possible you are purposefully overlooking someone you are indeed attracted to?"

"Sai… That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Shut up." The poor boy scratched his chin.

"But you said you are looking for someone mature. I don't understand." He scanned the book once more with innocent dark eyes. He was actually confused. "What is the maximum age you would consider dating?"

Sakura sighed. "I don't know. Twenty-nine, thirty?" She said this automatically. From the way Sai's hands twitched and Kakashi ignored them both even more pressingly, she realized her mistake straight away.

"I mean twenty-eight!" she corrected, knowing that that age was exactly one year less than her former teacher's. Sai smiled infuriatingly and turned to Sakura.

Without lowering his voice at all, he said, "Freudian slip?"

Sakura stormed away from the lunch, trying her damned hardest to ignore Kakashi's presence and _not _sneak a look at his probably impassive face. She couldn't let them see her blush so she mumbled something about more practice and stalked off.

"I didn't mean to upset her," Sai said, frowning. Kakashi finally set his book down. "I'm afraid with her current attitude she'll never realize—"

"Sai." Underneath his mask, Kakashi smirked. "Subtlety is key."

That poor kid.


	4. Late

It's been a while, I've been really busy and lost a little motivation to write. I'm still working on finishing some one-shots up for this (this short one will just have to tide you over) and also working painfully on the next chapter of Reactance, for those of you who follow that (I didn't leave it to die!). More to come, really! Thanks for the reviews.

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><p><strong>Late<strong>

The room full of Jounin and priority Nin grumbled with impatience, wishing the impromptu meeting that their Hokage called to start so they could return to their respective duties and days off. Word was that the meeting could not begin without everyone in attendance, and a certain well-known Medic Nin was absent from the scene.

Even usually late Kakashi Hatake wondered about the delay, not that he had anywhere in particular to be. It was just a bit concerning the way Tsunade, seated at her office desk before them, wrung and crumpled her papers together. His slightly large ears picked up on her ground-out words:

"Where the _hell _is that girl? If she's even a minute later I'll—"

He sweat-dropped, suspicions confirmed. If his former student wanted to avoid discipline from a teacher who was more willing to dole it out then he even could be, she better arrive soon. Just then, a click of the door and a low whine alerted everyone to the new arrival in the back of the room.

A few strands of pink hair slowly entered into sight. Kakashi narrowed his eyes as the missing Jounin entered into view, slowly and very aware. Every pair of glaring eyes fell on her.

Sakura stepped into the room and raised a hand.

"S-Sorry I'm late… I-"

"Where the hell were you?" Tsunade boomed dangerously, causing a few men near her to jump. Anyone else may have crumpled under the blonde's intimidating glare. Sakura blinked, green eyes glancing fleetingly around the room as if rummaging for an excuse.

Kakashi buried his hands into his pockets, curiously awaiting the response. For a brief second, their eyes caught.

"U-Uh, see… a black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way around the village to avoid it."

A heavy silence met her words as every Jounin looked on in shock.

Then Sakura tried to recover.

"I mean, I got lost on the road of life?"

"HARUNO!" The crowded room parted like the Red Sea to make way for the Hokage's wrath. "that's ridiculous, you should be-!" She suddenly faltered, pondering for a moment before redirecting her murderous attention.

Meanwhile, Kakashi gave Sakura the most betrayed and accusing look just before Tsunade turned on him.

"Kakashi, you brat! This is_ your_ doing!"

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><p>Heh. Please review. If you want to give me ideas too, I'm ALL for that!<p> 


	5. What Not to Hide

The reviews I just recieved were so pleasant I decided to post another, longer one-shot today. Really, someone stopped by just to write that they enjoyed what I've been posting and it's not very stereotypical. That's enough to motivate me. Here's another for you.

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><p><strong>What Not to Hide<strong>

It seemed that during his short time as a Genin instructor, he _had _taught her something after all. Kakashi's mind flitted back to one of his earliest memories of Team 7, when he forced them to compete in his perennial bell test. After Naruto's useless show of naivety the little students scattered into the bushes, concealing themselves from the enemy: him.

Back then, it had been so easy to find the pink haired girl, lying flat on her stomach with soft skinned elbows planted in the dirt. Those viridian eyes were scouting for Sasuke, he realized, and not for the Jounin she was supposed to be fighting. He was a bit annoyed and a bit playful as he wrapped her up in a fantastical genjutsu, one that involved the painful death of her raven-haired crush, and only felt a little bad afterwards.

More than a few years later, his only female student showed more growth under Tsunade-sama than he could have ever provided. Besides a bitter, nostalgic sense of teamwork, Sakura Haruno had learned one more thing from Kakashi Hatake.

And that was how to hide.

When Sakura failed to show up for a much anticipated training with himself, Naruto, and Sai, Kakashi put on a nonchalant face and shrugged to his other two subordinates.

"Should we look for her?" Sai asked mechanically. Although he couldn't lace of tone of worry into his voice just yet, the boy probably was concerned. Naruto, surprisingly, voiced aloud that Sakura was probably okay—Didn't Sai know she could take care of herself?

Kakashi grinned under his mask at Naruto's maturity. So, without the smudge of pink in their presence, they sparred. It was after the fight when each shinobi departed on their own paths of life did Kakashi's mind wander back to the missing student.

This had actually been the second time Sakura skipped out on practice. The first occurred on a separate occasion, when Sakura practically hunted down the illusive Copy-Nin and begged for a one-on-one training session because he never afforded her one before. His agreement was easier than he showed, but when he arrived at training ground three the next day (only twenty minutes late), she wasn't there. And in the half hour that proceeded, the kunoichi still wasn't there.

Kakashi dismissed the missed appointment, but he did check in at the hospital to see if maybe her medic duties monopolized the rest of her evening. He was not pleased when the sanitary, distinct smell of the dreaded hospital stung his nose. He was even less pleased to learn that Sakura was not working a shift.

So despite Naruto's assurance (for he was almost positive that Naruto didn't know more than he), a small ebb of concern weaved its way into the corner of Kakashi's mind. After this ebb became a complicated web of silly "what-ifs" that stretched from the back of his mind to his frontal lobe, the Copy Nin decided to alleviate the mystery by looking for her himself.

Kakashi swung by Sakura's house, and he could tell by chakra signature that she was nowhere inside.

_A mission? _He entertained that thought briefly before dismissing the possibility, because his own files did not indicate that Sakura Haruno would be going on any missions. Little known by the chuunin, Jounin captains always received reports when their subordinates left the village.

A blue mist started seeping into the village as the sun made its final crawl under the horizon. A white-haired man could be seen leaping from rooftop to rooftop, occasionally sitting down to read an orange-covered book. At this time, real irritation prickled the man's senses.

Kakashi could not find Sakura around the village.

Was it silly to worry when a fully capable student went missing? With a sigh, he turned his head to the face of his own sensei. With a literally stony face, Konoha's yellow flash stared back at him.

"_Sensei_… what if…" His dark eye showed desperation when he glanced into the stone one. The gentle look on his face was reserved only for that stone countenance. What would Minato-sensei think if Rin—

Wait. One more place to look, he thought hastily. Kakashi's hazy thoughts turned into swift but calm action as he pressed his feet against the rooftop. A silver flash bounded from rooftop to rooftop towards the Hokages' Monuments.

Of all possible places, it struck him that splay of pink would stick out from among the greener leaves and branches. He walked casually across a flatter surface of Minato-sensei's head.

Kakashi found Sakura sitting in a tree protruding from the edge of the cliff. She didn't notice his presence, which led him to believe maybe there were lessons she didn't fully register from that bell test.

"Yo," he called out, prompting her to jerk upright from her leaning posture. She had been leaning against the trunk with her knees drawn, but he couldn't get a full view of her face from the view he hand below her.

"K-Kakashi-sensei!" The widening of those green eyes revealed her surprise at seeing her old teacher. That didn't mean she was dropping down from the branch anytime soon, he observed. In fact, she seemed a little put off by his unexpected presence.

"How long have you been up here?" He asked.

Sakura appeared reluctant to answer in a way that was foreign. The usually ever-eager girl hesitated before giving him a plain, "Why?"

_I'm being rude. _Distress crept into her stomach, because the last thing she wished to do was offend someone like Kakashi. But confusion still racked her brain—why had _he _of all people shown up at a place like this?

She was yanked from her thoughts when the branch beside her shook, bending slightly under the weight of her sensei as he alighted on top of it. He crouched down, his strong forearms resting on each of his knees.

"I was looking for you," he said simply. Her eyes widened again, and another unwanted emotion rushed through her. Sakura felt bad.

"I'm sorry I missed training. Both times," she said, tearing her eyes away from where the previously stared—at his feet. Her gaze turned instead to an uninteresting strand of loose thread on her knee. Something hollow echoed in her tone.

The apology was sincere, he didn't doubt that. Nor was he interested in it.

"You still haven't answered my question," he reminded her. If she turned her face to his, she imagined that he could read the script of her behavior and motivations with a revealed Sharingan. Even the Sharnigan was extraneous—maybe his lpain eye could see through her, too. That's why she kept her eyelashes downcast.

"What was the question?"

He smirked out of her view.

"I'll rephrase it. Why are _you_ up here?" He curbed his bluntness for her sake. Asking her what was wrong directly might cause her to flee into the wild. Young kunoichi were confusing beings.

"I know you came up here because you were worried about me, but you didn't have to," she said assertively. Tsunade's stubbornness crept into her voice, Kakashi could tell. The Jounin's shoulder sank an inch but he held in his sigh.

"Is everything alright?"

"Everything is…_ fine_."

Sakura was terrible at lying, even when she wanted to be convincing. Plastering a smile onto her face in the streets and in the hospital was one thing—but her ability to lie to a friend was virtually nonexistent. As if to prove herself, her voice betrayed her and cracked at the end of the empty statement. Kakashi obviously noticed.

"Sakura…" What kind of things could cause his student to abandon the training field and the hospital and her friends for a lonely perch on a Hokage's monument? Pushing the matter, Kakashi knew, wasn't always the wisest decision. While silence stretches on, he waited for her to speak.

"I'm not going to tell anyone. It's silly. Sometimes a girl can leave w-when she wants to be alone." Kakashi nodded, offering unenthusiastic empathy, as he usually could. "It's stupid, sensei, I feel so stupid for being upset. My problems are so insignificant compared to everyone elses', so just leave me alone, okay? I want feel this way alone."

Kakashi was slightly taken aback by his student's painful resolve. In the years that he had known her, he usually assumed Sakura wore her heart on her sleeve or buckled down through the pain. He knew she compared herself constantly to her strong teammates, but also wouldn't guess that she also compared her burdens to theirs'.

_Whatever can make her this upset shouldn't be taken as 'insignificant', _the Jounin thought at the least.

"Well, if you feel like talking, even if it's insignificant, I can try to understand," he said reassuringly, mentally preparing to leave. He was never good at handling condolence, but remained excellent at detecting an unresolved feeling. Chakra bonded his feet to the branch despite his cue to depart. The Copy Nin was unmoved.

"It's my mother," her voice said sharply. Kakashi's feet were right in rooting him to the spot. He slowly registered her words, and blinked. Sakura was looking at him, finally. He tried to understand.

"Do you think I can't understand because I don't have a mother?" He asked bluntly, pointing to himself.

The leaves chattered in a frenzy as they shook, set in motion by Sakura's sudden movement. Surprise made her body stiff and her mind numb. She scrambled to correct Kakashi's flat statement. How could he speak so freely, and how could he have assumed she knew that information about him? It left her nearly breathless when he admitted a bit of his personal history to her as if he were asked if he merely asked if he needed a check-up.

"Kakashi-sensei!" When her breath returned, her voice was stern. "Of course not. And I didn't know… I'm sorry." She was visibly shaken, Kakashi noticed.

"I didn't mean to—"

"Sensei, was your mother caring?"

Her voice jut out the question like a pair of hands, bravely asking for food or money. He finally noticed how late the evening became. Cool air of the night descended on them. It washed him down from head to chest. When he inhaled, he caught a breath full of the serene air.

"I don't remember. She died when I was very young."

Sakura looked as if she would burst into tears any second.

_Shit._

"But because of that I never felt any remorse, really—"

"How can I sit here and feel upset about this when you didn't even have a mother! A-And Naruto, and Sasuke and Sai… I'm so selfish!" Waves of distress radiated off of her small figure as she returned to the ball he found her in, trying to shut out his presence. Her body shook while she tried to contain the desperate sobs from escaping her raw throat. It was bad enough _he _was beside her. She couldn't stand his plummeting opinion; she was sure he felt uncomfortable, hiding his expression with the side of his masked face.

She shivered when a warmth spread on her shoulder; A hand place itself there. The hand was partially gloved with a metal-plate backing.

"Sakura, what's wrong? Forget what I said. You're not easily so upset."

She wanted to debate telling him. But it didn't work.

"My mother…" Her voice was so soft, and contemplative. It was as if most of the pain had drained from her words and was replaced with terrible weariness. He had heard that tone too many times before. "We just found out. She's been sick. We found out she has cancer. It's so advanced that… nothing can be done. I don't know if she'll be around for my birthday."

He remembered that Sakura's birthday was only a little more than a month away. Usually, he would be proud for remembering.

Only the evening cicadas interrupted the silence that followed. The hand on her should did not budge.

"I'm lucky enough to even have parents. As a shinobi any one of us could die at any moment. And here I am, crying because I've had a mother for 16 years and that wasn't enough for me. Not even when my best friends have had so much less. "

The silence was suddenly like a held breath. Kakashi, used to still grief, closed his eyes.

"A young woman can't help but look up to her mother, as a boy can't help but look up to his father. You can grieve, Sakura." It was so much more of a statement or command than a condolence so that she took him seriously and began to unleash the tears that threatened to fall during the whole conversation. She was surprised when the warmth spread further, because the hand that rested on her shoulder slipped lightly around her neck. She almost turned into him, but she couldn't use him that much.

His sufferings likely passed her insurmountably, but he allowed her to grieve her own.

While shinobi were supposed to hide, as he once taught her, they were also supposed to hide their feelings. Kakashi would make sure to teach her, too, that hiding even emotion from a friend was wasted effort.

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><p>Yay. Titles are getting more difficult. Please review, it's just nice to hear from you.<p>

Also, if you have any ideas or scenarios/plots you would like to see unfold-I'd definitely write them. I like writing to prompts.


	6. Who Touched my Butt?

Okay, so this is a request. I will always note when something is a request because it won't be my own idea or usual style.

I tried to comply to the request in my own way-I have a hard time characterizing the pairing in an actual relationship without a lot of development, which is too much for a one-shot. Anyway, I hope this is okay. It didn't turn out as good as I wanted it, but I'll get used to this.

Also-this won't be the only bar-setting one-shot I post. I have another coming that is my own creation! Without further ago...

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><p><strong>Who Touched by Butt?<strong>

He really didn't care if Sakura or any of this other students were now of age—it was still all too odd to spot them in the local bars. However, after a few more sightings, Kakashi grew a little more comfortable and almost fond of the sight of his students milling about.

Kakashi Hatake himself did not frequent bars often—and when he did, it was usually the desolate, grungy ones after particularly grueling mission for a round of self-numbing

But hell—it was the anniversary of Asuma's death and the rest of the jounin decided to rally against the traditional mourning and depressing rituals to celebrate his life and his kid "the way Asuma would have wanted". Kakashi, always respectful of the deceased, highly disapproved of this at first. He spent the morning standing in front of a large black memorial stone, but then something curious happened.

Earlier that morning, the sky had been overcast, bathing the streets in an iridescent gray. Only half an hour after his arrival, the clouds began to break and the most glorious sunlight beamed out of the sky. Kohona was sunbathed and he suspected, amused, that a rainbow would follow.

After Kurenai approached, Kakashi abandoned his lonely habit to give her privacy. The Jonin was happy to leave the widow to her own respects and ruminate over his own thoughts—until he ran into a familiar sight.

"Sensei!" a voice called. Kakashi pretended to continue reading his orange little book, knowing the voice would catch up to him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" It hovered just below his left ear.

"Yo," he said, turning to the source with a small smile she couldn't really see. Sakura Haruno fell by his side and matched the Copy Nin's pace.

"Didn't you hear me calling?" she asked, a hint of disapproval in her tone. She knew how distant and annoying Kakashi could be. Without waiting for a shallow answer, the girl proceeded to chat about her current endeavors. They traveled en route to the hospital ,where she was headed, while her ex-sensei (mostly) listened. Before parting ways, the kunoichi turned and asked,

"Will I see you tonight?"

"Hm?" Kakashi blinked, halting in his reading.

Sakura stiffened and turned a little pink, realizing the clumsy way she framed her question. "U-Um, I mean, a lot of people are going outtonight in honor of Asuma-sensei…"

Word spread fast. Kakashi's face fell as he secretly lamented the fact that his old students were now legal and could attempt to usher him into bars (and leave him with the tab for revenge).

"Maybe," he uttered uselessly and left her with an eye-creased smile. The girl's brow furrowed, likely in annoyance, so she waved him off before going to her work.

Absentmindedly, Kakashi hovered a few seconds longer after her departure. One revealed eye lingered on the small of her back.

Although the copy-Nin never appeared too invested, it was true that he listened to Sakura's words and updates on the small things in her life—Her hospital work, her training, her Jonin exams. It was like reading a developing novel to watch how she transitioned and grew over the years. And even further into the subconscious recesses of the mind, he thought about how he tended to remove himself from that process.

Maybe that's why the bar thing bothered him.

* * *

><p>The bar was small and quality—but unsuitable for the amount of people who wanted to take the chance to celebrate a fallen comrade's life. Kakashi Hatake was not one for crowded spaces. On one hand, his mind wouldn't let him leave for Asuma's sake—so he weighed the other option. That included diving for the farthest, most desolate corner and distracting himself with Icha Icha before Gai spotted him and challenged him to a drinking contest.<p>

In which case he might point him in Tsuanade-sama's direction.

Bur just then—a splash of shocking orange entered the scene: Naruto. Next to him, and unmistakable pink companion: Sakura. He spotted others, too, like her friend Ino close by.

Decidedly, the sigh still weirded him out. Naruto was far to irresponsible to be drinking and he hardly ever spotted Sakura out of her work and combat gear. A sleek and simple red dress hung to her thighs and reminded him of her new femininity. Too weird. Kakashi began to steer clear when someone caught him by the shoulder.

"K-Kakashi! You showed up!" With a pointy little toothpick wobbling on the corner of his lips, Genma beamed at his comrade. It was clear from his loose speech and the flush on his cheeks that he was a few drinks into the celebration already.

Kakashi held back a sigh.

"So I did."

"Listen, come over here, there's someone I want to introduce you to. Jeez, get a drink in you, Kakashi!"

For the moment, he allowed Genma's slack arm to maneuver him across the bar whilst bumping into more familiar faces. Kakashi offered a little more resistance as they came close to his students.

Because again, he still thought running into student at bars was not good for impression management.

"Kaka-sensei?" Ah, Naruto seemed to spot him but the girl remained oblivious. Genma also caught sight of the pair and rushed to say hello to the semi-famous jinchuriki. Kakashi waved and reminded a teetering Genma about their original goal.

"Heh, you'd think a Jonin like you could handle your weight," Naruto said with a grin, rubbing the back of his neck.

"H-hey, kid, let's see you throw the drinks down. This place doesn't sell bowls of ramen!"

"Huh? I could if I wanted to!" Kakashi rolled his eye at their obnoxious banter. Leave it to a drunk Genma to start a debate with his simple pupil.

"Naruto, are you even old enough to be here?" Genma replied snidely.

"O-Of course I am! What the hell do you think I am, a kid?" Naruto sputtered and waved his hands a little in a way that disproved his point. The Joinin was trying to rile him up after the first remark, and it worked. Satisfied, the drunken shinobi turned away with his silver haired friend in tow.

"Heh. Come on, Kakashi!" He grasped his friend's shoulder and jerked him in a new direction.

Kakashi was unprepared for what happened next. Genma's forceful pull swung him hard in the other direction, causing him to nearly stumble. While regianing balance, one of his arms swung round and hit something low. Low and… firm. It was a very _solid_ tap, especially because of the metal plate on his gloved hand.

A noise of rage erupted from behind them like a final explosion.

Both men swung around to discover Naruto cowering next to a fiery red Sakura. Her hands crushed to her sides with balled fists.

"Excuse me," the kunoichi proclaimed loudly to the surrounding patrons of the bar in her fit of rage. "Did someone just touch my butt!"

Time was at a standstill. No one dared answer.

"_Who_ touched my ass?"

Somehow, Naruto's frightened blue eyes roamed to Genma in what Sakura deemed an accusing manner. Genma—failing to recognize the severity of Sakura's anger in the way Kakashi was conditioned to, raised a hand.

He raised a hand to say, "Hey, Sakura, I'm sure someone just bumped into you."

But his mouth didn't quite make it the form words before a Sakura Haruno, slightly intoxicated herself, pulled back a chakra infused fist and _whammed _him in the face.

Kakashi didn't know whether to be relieved or shocked about the way the repercussions were dealt. Genma shot backwards into a crowd and bowled over six or so people. . The Copy Nin leaned over to examine is unconscious friends. In his state, it was surprising that his reaction time to block such an obvious hit was numbed.

So it appeared that Genma would likely miss the rest of his cherished celebration.

And Kakashi would never be introduced to that certain person, either.

"S-S-Sakura-chan, don't you think you went a little hard on him?" Naruto asked. Looking back, Kakashi noticed warily how the men around them either averted their eyes or shriveled in fear. The pink haired girl dropped her viridian eyes to the floor and appeared to be thinking.

"I didn't mean to hit him that hard, it was a natural reaction…"

Kakashi sweat-dropped.

"But I'm setting a precedent for all the perverts out there!" She pumped a first in the air.

Kakashi swallowed even harder.

For a moment she seemed to finally recognize her ex-sensei—their eyes caught. She snatched them away just as soon- going a bit red with, what was it?

Embarrassment? Drunkeness? Kakashi would never know, because he decided to drag Genma (and himself) to safety.

At the end of the night, the morality in the Copy Ninja pushed him to do something he really did not wish to do. At last, night-time's embrace cast a dark shadow on the streets. Street lights dimmed and people dispersed from every building or bar. The last few stragglers were dark figures making their way out.

Kakashi descended from a rooftop, back to the little bar he was glad he left. He waited patiently until it was mostly vacant. Finally, his target moved out and even parted ways with another figure.

Did Sakura always walked home alone?

"Yo."

Sakura jerked back, and blinked in surprise at the man who entered her path at the end of this fading night. She smiled, and greeted him back.

"Hello, Kakashi-sensei. Did you come to walk me home? I can do that myself, you know."

Her tone was sweet and the Jonin could tell immediately that she was no longer intoxicated or buzzed at all. This relieved him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and debated with himself a little longer before beginning to walk. She followed his steps dutifully, as if they just encountered each other earlier

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something," he told her, forcing the words out. She cocked her head to the side, trying to steal a glimpse of his impassive face.

"Me?" she asked in wonderment. Kakashi hardly ever had things to tell her personally. The wonder of her face almost made him smirk.

"Well, uh, it's more of a confession really," he said, scratching the back of his head. It was her turn to stiffen, and he realized that he framed the phrase in a careless way. Now it was him that was hasty to make amends. "—An admittance about earlier."

"About earlier?"

She wasn't going to make this any easier. His shoulders sunk as the continued on.

"Sakura… About the incident earlier. I admit I've been feeling guilty. See, uh… When Genma—"

"I remember, that jerk!" She grumbled, turning a little pink. Again, that little blush spread across her cheeks and he wondered lightly what motivated it.

"Actually, Sakura…" he took his hands out of his pockets in case anything were to go down. He saw what happened to Genma, even though his name and title might grant him immunity from physical anger. "It was me, on accident. Don't take this the wrong way. Genma caused me to bumped into, purely by chance."

It was Sakura's turn to slap on an unbearable unreadable face. On the inside, she bubbled with mirth at the way her sensei spit out his fast-paced words, uncomfortable and almost nervous in a way that was so unlike him! After just a second, she couldn't bear to keep him in suspense.

"Kakashi-sensei, I know it was you," she admitted almost gleefully.

"Huh?" The silver-haired man stopped in his tracks. "Then why…"

"Genma was hitting on me even before he got drunk and it really annoyed me. I've been wanting to do that," she said with a finger pointed on her chin. "Also, I wanted to see if you would really tell me yourself."

A dark looked passed over Kakashi's hidden features.

"Really, Sakura?" She was turning into an evil, pranking Naruto. His mind wandered back to all of the times her face lit up with flushes of light pink and he stopped himself from shuddering. Sakura, his ex-student, was playing games.

She giggled. "You always ignore me when I see you on the street at first. For once, I wanted you to come up to me, sensei!"

He didn't know whether to laugh or berate her.

So he sighed.

"As long as I don't get what Genma got," he said, and silently resolved to feed her a little more of the attention she wanted. She was right, and recently he began realizing the deliberate way he removed himself from certain situations. With Sakura. Well, what was he afraid of?

She smiled again. "Ha, don't worry, I guess I did overact. I mean, I don't mind it's _you…_"

_Shit._

Once again, she realized the awful way she had with words that transformed all her of communication into awkward innuendos. Kakashi, on her left, seemed to realize this to and waited for her to correct herself.

And they walked on in an experimental silence, because she never did.

* * *

><p>Please review! Still taking requests as well!<p> 


	7. Chakra Magnet

I was watching some older episodes of the anime, including my favorite Kakashi fight (team 10 vs. Akatski), so I guess now you know where the scene is set... :) R&R. It encourages me.

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><p><strong>Chakra Magnet<strong>

At last, it was over. Team 10 was still marveling at Naruto's awesome power when Shikamaru, Sakura and Sai arrived to report the timely defeat of Hidan. After the extensive battles, the shinobi were left with a sense of relief and exhaustion—they ached to return home. **T**hey each congratulated each other, knowing in the back of their minds that the Akatsuki member's demise would not have been achieved if it were for geniuses Shikamaru Nara and Kakashi Hatake. Naruto capped off their amazing work. Chouji hoisted Naruto up by the shoulder and helped him forward, following Yamato's lead.

"Where is Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura, gazing around.

"He's finishing with that guy—Kakazu," Ino told her. Sakura didn't miss the tone of concern in her friend's voice. As if on cue, they watched the Jonin in question leap into view from the ditch where he finished off their fallen opponent. Sakura had never seen him in such a state, so she knew the battle had been intense. His jounin vest was missing—as well as his Leaf headband. Even his mask, to her fearful curiosity, had been torn a little to reveal more of his light-skinned cheek.

Kakashi began to join the group—but after just a few steps his hand flew to his chest and a pained sound escaped his throat. He stopped in his tracks, and fell to a crouching position on the hard ground.

"Kakashi-sensei!" the medics chorused, wasting no time in appearing at his side. Ino was there first, remembering her promise to heal his wounds after Kakazu's creepy tentacles dug into his chest with the intent of ripping out his heart. The Copy Nin had brushed off her attempt as rejoined the battle almost immediately after sustaining the wound. Now he was paying for it.

The blonde fell to her knees beside him.

"What's wrong? Sensei?" Sakura asked hurriedly..

Kakashi, breathing hard, cracked open an eye and glanced at the young women.

"I'll be fine," he said between labored breaths. It was just something in his chest, squirming, digging deeper… Sharp pain agitated his thoughts.

Ino knew better. "No, he's not "fine". It's those _things _the Akatski member used to try to take his heart. They got into his chest but he ripped them out earlier. There must be remnants left that are damaging his body! They can't go any further or…!" Kakashi winced, realizing that her analysis was probably right.

_Take… Kakashi-sensei's heart? _Sakura's brow furrowed; the battle was graver than she imagined.

"We have to heal him," Ino continued frantically, but there was hesitance laced in her voice. "I can give him emergency first aid but… These things are _inside _of him and I don't know if I can…" She wavered. There was something unsaid underlying the tone of her confession, and Sakura knew immediately how to ease her worries.

"Ino!"

The girl snapped her head back to meet Sakura's eyes. Understanding passed through their gaze.

"You haven't spent enough time with Tsunade-sama to learn this procedure in your medical practice just yet. This is at least a level six. Don't worry." She smiled congenially. "Go catch up to the group and finish healing Naruto. I'll can do this."

Ino didn't bother to hide her sigh of relief. Her best friend's command was in no way condescending. She almost hated to admit it, but Sakura's new maturity and expertise was impressive.

"Sure. Make sure you heal him thoroughly, okay? He was really incredible."

Sakura smiled knowingly at Ino's awe.

"Come on, he's my sensei, you know."

Kakashi hardly paid attention to their banter and might have injected his own, witty remark had not he been in so much pain. The two seemed to reach an agreement that Sakura's medical expertise was appropriate to handle his case.

Kakashi's hidden anxiety lessened when he felt his dependable student crouch beside him.

"I'm going to get those things out so stay still," he heard her say lightly. Without verbal warning she slipped a hand under his shirt and pressed his to his bare chest, over his heart.

Kakashi shuddered.

"S-s-sorry," Sakura stammered.

"Cold hands," Kakash muttered. It didn't seem convincing. She smiled nervously and went straight to work.

His student's chakra was soothing, he noticed, and on the other hand it was incredibly invasive. It was a wonder she could weave her chakra so delicately through his own network, grabbing and pulling away the foreign bodies. It took him a lot of willpower to keep from shivering.

Sakura kept her hand pressed firmly against Kakashi, trying to ignore her own embarrassment about how she was touching his body. It was purely medical and for his benefit, of course! Still, she couldn't help but be hypersensitive to everything in this position, not just the healing process. For example, the way his pulse was quickening beneath her touch…

Why was Kakashi-sensei's heart beating faster and faster? In fact, his pulse quickened considerably after she applied her chakra to his body.

"S-Sensei, are you…?"

"Just fine," he grunted and flashed her a smile with his eyes. He opened them both to peer back at her and she nearly gasped—it had been a long time since she saw Kakashi without all of his Jonin gear. Without the headband, both mismatched eyes caught her gaze. One—the emboldened scarlet Sharingan, and the other—a cool, unreadable black orb.

Kakashi jumped just after she began oogling at his eye. His reaction startled her even more and she realized that she had pumped a short burst of her chakra into him while she was distracted. It must have been a shock, because his bare hand flew up and covered hers on the outside his shirt. For a split moment, she was frozen.

"Sorry!" she proclaimed hastily.

"Yeah…" he was still startled, getting used to the feeling.

Sakura turned a violent shade og red. Not only was his hand still covering hers, but…

_Wait, his hands… they're twitching? _

Kakashi avoided his gaze and withdrew his hand, just noticing the contact. His expression was so mixed she could hardly register it.

"Sakura…"

"Almost done…. there!"

"Do you think you could… remove all of your chakra?" the pinkette raised an eyebrow coolly at his request. Was hers_ that_ unpleasant? Well, it was obviously necessary for her medical practice. Plus, he had never complained before… although she had never healed him so deeply before.

With a slow inhale Sakura removed her hands and her chakra. She leaned back to survey him, pleased at her work. It only took about ten minutes, and then they could catch up to the group in no time. Her eyes returned to his face, looking for approval and satisfaction.

But Kakashi still looked disturbed. "I mean… all of it," he told her calmly. "I can feel residual chakra left."

"You can feel it?" she questioned. "Well… all that's left, that's supposed to be there. It's holding together your abrasions and broken blood vessels until we can get you into the hospital."

"Ah, I see."

Suddenly she felt very self-conscious.

"I'm still kind of new at below-tissue healing, and I'm told it's really invasive to the reciever. I'm sorry if it's weird." She rubbed the back of her neck and resisted the blush that threatened to spill across her cheeks. When he returned a small smile, she nearly melted.

What was it about Kakashi that was making her feel so…. compelled?

Was it his mop of untamed, silvery white hair that nearly reached his breathtaking mismatched eyes? Was it the way that sweat and hard work plastered his black shirt to his fit body, nix the bulky vest? Or the way his toned muscle had felt under her hands?

_Stop, this is Kakashi-sensei, _she ordered herself. _Stay professional and quit oogling him!_

But still, maybe it was the way his strong chakra felt when she touched it. Or the look on his face when he felt hers. In fact, it was almost as if she could still feel his pleasant chakra as it grew hotter inside her, fueling her random attract—

"Kakashi-sensei! I think I have some of your chakra, too. I must have pulled it out by mistake! I'm such a rookie," she lamented. Now Kakashi sat up straighter, interested in her confession.

"Stealing chakra won't make you stronger," he joked lightly after seeing her distress.

"It feels… odd. It kind of burns," she admitted with a frown.

"Hm, well, I am a lightening-type. If our chakra natures are incompatible, then it is probably causing discomfort."

"As in your case," she said. "Can I give it back?" Now, he looked more wary.

"It won't work if you try to just put it back. You'll only pull some back out,"  
>he said. He put his head down, appearing to think some more. "The way to do this is to exchange it at the same time. Our own bodies should attracts our chakras back"<p>

"Okay," Sakura nodded. Kakashi seemed at least a bit bemused at her fidgeting, but wouldn't admit himself that her chakra caused him to have a similar reaction. She reached out, a bit awkwardly, and then retracted her hand.

"Um, how…?" It was easy for her to reach out and heal him, but she wondered how they should make contact together, at the same time. Kakashi's blank stare plainly said that he didn't have an answer and was not as willing as her to find one. She winced.

"It really burns. Kakashi-sensei, you're chakra is so _hot."_

"… Thanks?" She rolled her eyes and squirmed more. She wanted to get this over with! Clearly the Copy Ninja was in a state of benign exhaustion from the harsh battle, and here she was stalling for time. With each second that passed, not only did the group get farther away but his agitating chakra-nature was burning a hole through her chakra network!

"So, what did you want to…" Kakashi began uncertainly with his student, but Sakura couldn't wait any longer.

"Ugh! Ow! I can't take this anymore at all!" He had no idea his chakra was _that _unbearable. He was about to suggest something when suddenly, with eyes squeezed shut in what he presumed to be pain, she threw herself at him.

_Sakura…!_

She wasn't doing his sore back and strained shoulders any favors by hugging him so tightly, with her arms around his neck and head past his shoulder. Both of his hands were planted on the ground and he leaned back under the weight of the girl who desperately crushed him. Not only did his body ache, but his sense of reservation was really dissipating fast.

Before he could even protest a new chakra invaded him. His entire body tensed, partly in shock—didn't she know how intrusive this was? Still, it was clear she was overeager to dispel his chakra.

In return, he pushed hers to the forefront of his core, trying his best to ignore the way their bodies pressed together. Ah, finally… once their chakra collided, they would be able to exchange.

But that wasn't the way it happened. Once their chakras brushed, a kidnapping occurred. His swore he hadn't meant to reel even more of her chakra in. what was going on? It was as if his body _wanted _more of her soothing, calm chakra. After all, her chakra had healing abilities and he could certainly use more of that.

Her grit his teeth under his mask, trying to stop the transaction.

_What's going on? Kakashi-sensei's chakra… I feel like my body is pulling it back in. It's electrifying! _Every ounce of his chakra gave her a rush of exciting adrenaline, and she didn't know why. Maybe it was its nature. Either way, she could tell that her body was now acting as a magnet and attracted even more of his raw energy! She had to stop the exchange, she…

The Jonin pulled through and did this for her. She felt him grab her shoulders and shove her back, causing her to stumble and land on her rear.

For some reason, Sakura's body was _smoking! _Both shinobi found it hard to summon words.

"Are you alright?" Kakashi asked, finally, but hurriedly. The smoke rising from her red vest was nothing he had ever seen. It was some reaction.

"Y-Yes," she said. "I don't know what's going on." They were both panting, locked in a staring contest, until Kakashi finally averted his gaze. The words that came from the back of his throat sounded like he forced them out.

"It seems as if our chakras, instead of returning back to their origins, preferred to swap…"

"A vague way of saying they're attracted to each other," Sakura dared to say bluntly, earning her a fleeting look of surprise. "I've seen this before, but it's rare. Each body acts as a magnet to another chakra that it believes can benefit it…" She stared off into the skyline, pondering what the hell this could mean.

Kakashi rose to his feet, ignorning the fact that a pool of his student's energy swished around inside him.

"You did say my chakra was 'hot'," he pointed out. She glared. Embarrassment stained her cheeks at his implication, but he succeeded in lightening the mood. She rose to her feet.

"It's not funny. In the cases I've studied what ends up happening is the two matches get addicted to each other's chakra!" That shut the Jonin up, but she thought it was because he found her silly and dramatic. He muttered something about catching up with the group so they started walking. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched the medic cross her arms and move about restlessly.

He struggled to keep his own restlessness contrained.

* * *

><p>When she arrived at Konoha, there were no breaks for Sakura. She was stuck on hospital duty just houts after she came back and Tsunade discovered she had no serious injuries. Sighing, she snatched a clipboard and walked into her next patient's hospital room without so much as giving it a glance.<p>

She opened the door and the clipboard nearly dropped from her hands when she found Hatake Kakashi sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting to be treated from the mission they just had. He glanced up at her with a guilty black eye. Before words came out she looked down at her papers to make sure she had the right room.

Yes, it listed Hatake Kakashi as her next patient. And it noted that she was _specially requested _to be the healer.

So it made sense now. She couldn't erase the shock outlined on her face.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan. I, uh, hoped you could finish healing me," he said with an innocent smile and rubbed the back of his head.

_He wants my chakra._ Kakashi could only pretend not to notice the smug smiled that unfurled on her soft little lips. He had an air of aloofness to maintain, after all. But as of late, Sakura became talented as shredding it.

He stiffened when his former student approached and _sat next to him _on his hospital bed.

"I couldn't stop thinking of you, sensei," her voice reached his ear quietly. "That is... your chakra."

* * *

><p>Okay, please review. Still taking any requests, or even just suggestions. Whatcha wanna see next?<p> 


	8. Lingerie

**Lingerie**

Sakura's suspicion first arose when Ino placed a striped pink bag in front of her. This happened to be on one of their weekly "dinner dates" , of course, when the blonde knew Sakura had no way of publicly declining the offering. She watched the pinkette wince with pleasure and pity; Sakura never took too kindly to her thoughtful little gifts.

The first gift had been some pretty green eye shadow; a belated New Years gift. Sakura took Ino's advice, for once, and began adorning the pale colored makeup when she went out. The color was a hit among the cat-calling low-life shinobi like Genma, so Sakura decided to stop wearing it when the guy shrugged off her numerous rejections.

The second gift was a scale; just a spontaneous piece of generosity from her best friend and rival.

"You're getting too skinny! I thought since I can't always keep an eye on you, you can do it for yourself." It was likely Ino's jealous way of trying to convince Sakura to add on the pounds. Fortunately the superior medic nin didn't care what the male species thought of her enough to manipulate her body weight.

But this gift, unlike the others, was_ different_. Sakura could tell that Ino's mean-spirited malice would manifest in less subtle ways in whatever rested in this little pink bag.

"So, remember how you lost that bet yesterday?" Ino drawled, obviously pleased that she had bested Sakura over something, even if it was arbitrary.

"How could I forget with you reminding me every three minutes?" Sakura bit back, resting her head on one open hand. Her green eyes shifted to the little tote. Whatever was in that thing related to-

"I found you the perfect punishment! –Er, I mean, this is what you have to do since you lost. And me, being a kind and generous friend, decided to do you a favor." Sakura barely contained a groan. Everyone knew how Ino's "favors" turned out. As Kiba once bluntly (and rudely) said, "I don't want any favors from _her _unless they're sexua—"

"What now?" she asked. The eerie glimmer that shimmered in Ino's eyes was slightly frightening.

"Well, you know how you told me you were on that dry spell? You just don't feel motivated or sexy—"

"Ino, we're in public!"

"Well, well, take a look in the bag!" She motioned with both hands for her friend to claim her gift. Sakura shot her a confused look before reaching in a hand. Her fingertips brushed some kind of silky-soft fabric.

_A dress? _Sakura thought, a dash of hope touching her heart. Could Ino really be this nice? But somehow, there didn't seem to be enough material for this thing to be a dress. Finally, Sakura grasped the garment and pulled it straight out of the bag.

She hoped the patrons of the café wouldn't be too attracted to the ear-splitting scream that tore out of her mouth.

Dangling from Sakura's finger was a very elaborate, very pink, very private and provocative piece of underwear. There was hardly anything to it! In a second she stuffed it back in the bag, ignoring Ino's indignant glare from her squeal.

"What the hell! Ino! What the hell were you thinking?" Ino sat calmly as her friend fazed through a mini-melt down over a meager piece of sexy lingerie. Then, in a hushed voice, Sakura leaned over the table and said, "What is that supposed to be, exactly?" It was almost cute the way her pink little eyebrows twitched.

"Sakura, please. It's just a thong."

"…."

"Yes. It's a thong."

"Why did you give that to me?"

"Because for losing the bet, you have to wear it a-a-a-all day tomorrow! And all night! Maybe then we'll get you out of your—"

"Absolutely not!" Sakura pronounced. Even the thought of wearing something like that made her uncomfortable; it just wasn't practical. While she was working… and training…? It was like hiding a dirty little secret under her clothes in the presence of unsuspecting others. It just felt wrong to wear such a thing in her profession! But Ino was adamant.

"No buts! You lost this time! And last time you made me go through with my punishment! So, Sakura, if you don't wear this-and I'll check-then-"

"Okay, okay pig! I'll do it!" Sakura glared daggers at Ino. The pushy girl probably did think she was doing her a favor, but a skimpy piece of cloth like that wouldn't change anything! Besides, it wasn't as if anyone would know what she was wearing under her pink apron skirt and black shorts. Ino smiled and held out a hand.

"Shake on it." Sakura extended a hesitant hand and shook on it, just before realized the next day would be the most uncomfortable day in her life.

She was going to have to wear that thing, and _train_. Yes, she had totally forgotten that she promised Naruto, Said, Yamato and Kakashi-sensei she would take a day off from hospital work to prove her taijustu was not rusty.

* * *

><p>During the melee, Sakura's hitai-ate had fallen off. She had just smashed one of Sai's ink creations into liquid form when they agreed to stop the spar. She walked over the grassy area where the metal headband rested, after calling out to Kakashi that he was next. He had shrugged and trailed her with his eyes.<p>

It was just precautionary that he tracked her when she bent down to pick of her headband. But that's when it happened;

Burning into his cornea was the image of a neon pink triangle slipping above the fabric of Sakura's apron and stretching against the creamy skin of her backside.

Kakashi blinked, and focused in for a moment longer to understand that what he was seeing was actually what he saw.

The Copy Nin turned around and quickly and tried to ignore the sight (it was not well-known but very true that the sight of _those_ things excited a very feverish, dormant interest inside him. Seriously—was this a sick joke?).

"Are you ready sensei?" Her voiced called to him smugly, almost_ playfully_ to his ears. Sakura turned towards her next victim and wondered why he kept his back turned to her in such a stiff manner. It must have been his way of goading her, saying that she wasn't worth the attention!

She "humphed" and didn't bother searching for a good angle to assault him—it was just a measly spar. Without further hesitation she launched herself forward. In a few seconds she hoped her fist might connect with the back of his head (was he ignoring her!?) but a quick side-step sent her reeling forward. The pinkette stumbled past the Jounin, tripped a little, and recovered.

During the trip she caught herself with a hand thrust to the ground, meaning that she had to bend over a little… meaning that Kakashi's fears were once again confirmed. The image was now _burned and thoroughly memorized _into his open Sharingan. This was more distracting then the time the ending of Icha Icha was nearly spoiled…

_Why the hell would she wear that to…?_

Kakashi hoped Sakura hadn't reverted back to her old ways filled with vanity and dieting. One half of him knew this wasn't true, but the other half seriously contemplated teaching her a lesson. Not just for his own sake—but because something like that could be a… _hindrance_ during a real mission.

He decided to see just how comfortable she was in that very adult piece of clothing. When Sakura whipped around to assault him again with sloppy, tactless taijustsu (she needed to get out of the hospital more), he made a move. Narrowly avoiding a chakra-laced fist, the Copy Nin was able to pull her forward by the wrist. After shoving her before him he placed his hand on the back on her head, much in the same fashion he used to do to Naruto when he blindly rushed in to attack. In their _genin_ days.

"Why so hasty?" he asked calmly. She was clearly uncomfortable with this familiar but humiliating position.

"Why do you take me so lightly, sensei?" He smiled behind her and gave the back of her head a ruffle, making sure to thoroughly mess up her hair. He accomplished his goal of infuriating her on more than one level. She growled and aimed an elbow to his abdomen.

He saw the move coming and suppressed it, but he didn't account for the way she lurched forward to spring onto one hand and aim a back-kick a little too close to his groan. The girl was full of surprises, but that wasn't one he was willing to succumb to. Not to mention she added some extra chakra…

But this was his chance. Using the cues from his Sharingan, Kakashi maneuvered around the kick and caught her leg. It was an awkward position, because Sakura was now forced immobile—upside down with one hand on the ground to support her and the other clutching the side of Kakashi's leg.

"You shouldn't attempt complicated taijutsu forms without being sure of the direction you're going in," he hummed informatively in a tone he knew ticked her off. He felt the grip on his leg tighten. He hand one of her legs caught in the air, and another bent at an awkward angle, hardly touching the ground. What a compromising position.

"Did you hear me, Sakura?" He bent her leg back. and heard her hiss.

Kakashi smirked. He knew that Sakura was a flexible girl, even if the way he strained her limbs was a little uncomfortable. she could manage that. However, it was probably that pink piece of string her decided to wear the spar that was causing her discomfort now. Flexibility whiel wearing _that _meant a little bit of pain. Or, Gai might call it a Springtime of Youth Super Wedgie. In fact, he really did call it back in the day…

"Kakashi-sensei"

"Hm? Can't get out?"

_Damn it, damn it damn it! _Sakura swore inwardly. If she hadn't known better, she would swear Kakashi was doing this on purpose, as if he somehow knew she was wearing a little piece of lingerie today and wanted to cause her all the discomfort in the world. She used some chakra to break the ground with her hand, giving her some leverage and kicking off his balance. She escaped his awkward _death _hold and landed some ways a way on her feet.

Her stance was a little… off. The panties were stuck so far up her derriere, Sakura couldn't think about anything but fixing it.

_I'm going to KILL Ino._

"Okay, I think I'm done!" She called out. She couldn't fix herself in front of everyone, they would totally notice. Nothing escaped Kakashi's Sharingan.

"Are you sure?" the Jonin chimed happily. He didn't miss the twitch in her gait as she hurried off. Even when he removed his gaze, the pink triangle still floated in his eye. Like the thousands of jutsu he had copied in his lifetime, it remained something Kakashi could not forget.

Ever.


	9. Alone Together

Note: Don't read if you're not caught up with the manga. This is my alternate version of what could have happened when Kaguya first transported Team 7 to the lava dimension! Takes place at the first shift.

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><p>Alone Together<p>

As they swung above the bubbling lava, Sakura dangling at Kakashi's hip, she couldn't help but feel as if she was being steamed like a vegetable. Her fallen headband confirmed that the sea of molten material below didn't just look real, but it would feel real as well. Dignity went out the window; the kunoichi counted her blessings that Kakashi thought to snatch her and even save his friend before they both fell to their slow, boiled deaths.

She barely had time to fully curse Sasuke Uchihua when Kakashi's makeshift line broke and once again, they were falling into hell.

_No! _Sakura screamed inwardly, forcing her mind to think as fast as her sensei's. He already saved her once, and she wouldn't let them both perish in vain. But what could she do?

Sakura activated her seal and took a quick breath. While Kakashi still clutched onto her side as if he'd lose her, she pulled from his grip and managed to duck under him. He couldn't possibly know her plans, but trusted her intuitively as she pulled him over her shoulders. Their time was up: the lava came rushing to meet them; like a cat, Sakura Haruno landed on her feet, bearing the weight of the Copy Ninja on her shoulders.

Sakura had never walked on lava before, but she damn sure learned fast. Unlike water, the lava was thicker and slower moving, but the density was quite different. Her precision with chakra control allowed her to stand on the lava with great effort, without sinking in. She shifted her feet and tried not to lose balance as she shifted Kakashi over her shoulder.

"S-Sakura!" She heard him bite out through his mask in disbelief. Even Naruto was gaping, shouting something inaudible in the distance. The euphoria of the successful rescue didn't last. The lava had already burned straight through the sole of her boot and the sizzling, smoky smell of burning rubber rose to their noses.

Sakura had never considered herself particularly fast before, but now was the time to test that ability. Sakura _ran. _Within a few moments, her boots had completely melted and she was literally walking over hot coals-only the coals were liquid fire. The kunoichi tried not to panic when the pain kicked in-the lava seared the bottom of her feet but she could only hiss and continue on. Through the tears that formed in her eyes, she could not look up at her sensei's shocked and horrified expression.

Kakashi now understood her plan. Just as he had carried her in the air, feet away from their demise, she carried him over her petite shoulders while her seal's ability saved them both. She was genius for teaching herself to balance her chakra to walk on lava. She used her chakra to balance atop it and while the lava burned her feet, her seal healed and regenerated the flesh almost immediately. Surely it was torture.

Listening to his student cry out in excruciating pain, helpless, was gut wrenching. Hatake Kakashi was not used to being as helpless as he suddenly became at the turn of this war. He vaguely wish it was Sasuke who was forced to go through this hell.

"That ledge!" He cried out, ordering her attention to a stony cliff in the distance. He knew she was already going as fast as she could, but if she stumbled it was over for them both. Burning flesh stung his sensitive nose.

Sakura let a string of every swear word she had ever heard while she darted to the ledge. She didn't know how long she could hold on. Kakashi feared funneling his own chakra to aid her since it could disrupt her balance. After grueling seconds they reached the vertical cliff. At the earliest opportunity Kakashi jumped to it, taking her with him, and dragged them to it's surface for safety.

Naruto and Sasuke were specs in the distance, now. Sakura could hardly make them out over her own blurry vision. She was partially ashamed that tears streamed down her cheeks and her nose ran.

"Are you okay?" Kakashi demanded. She was surprised at the urgency that passed through his tone, borderline panic. She bet he had never seen any move like that before and didn't know how to assess the damage. She hastily wiped her face.

"I-I'll be fine!" she tried to assure him. Her pants were burned off to the shin. Her feet were red while the bottoms were black. She reached down and began to heal her feet, choking back cries of pain. Her injuries looked traumatic to even her, an experienced medic nin.

Kakashi was still gaping.

"Sakura... thank you." She looked up.

Copy Ninja Kakashi was staring her hard in the eye. Something else was in his normally dull gaze. In fact, his two black eyes were rather glassy themselves, full of what? Pride? Remorse? Helplessness? She couldn't tell exactly, but it melted her to see it. She could hear one thing from that gaze. It was the desperate acknowledgement of their alone-ness and loneliness together. He had saved her life, and then she saved his. During these moments they were all they had, together.

Involuntarily tears stung her eyes again. They were in the middle a war, but fuck, did it all hurt. Sasuke' abandonment finally fully registered in her, as did their two near-death experiences. The pain of her charred flesh, the exhaustion, the ending of the seal. It hit her and she tried not to cry, but she did, and let herself crumple. Kakashi's hand on her shoulder was an invitation, so she fell into his shoulder and sobbed.

"Kakashi-sensei, he left us to die..." the Copy Ninja had to pause and collect a response to Sakura's very legitimate observation.

"Sasuke isn't the comrade we knew," he said simply.

"Those who abandon their friends are worse than trash. Thank you for teaching me that." She felt him stiffen with surprise, letting her appreciation sink in. The truth was he never felt more undeserving of anyone's thanks until now. He couldn't stop the pain and torture this war put them through, or Sakura's own personal hell. But as Sakura resigned herself to what little reserved assurance he could offer, Kakashi felt grateful for Team 7's only female student.

"At least I taught you something," he said. "But I wonder... where you learned all of those curses? That was impressive," Kakashi added, allowing a small smirk to show in his eyes.

Suddenly embarrassed, Sakura recoiled and withdrew from her temporary refuge in her teacher's arm.

"T-Tsunade-sama."

The Copy Ninja studied the flaming red that stained Sakura's cheeks, and he felt fairly certain that it had little to do with the rising heat of their surroundings.


	10. A Kind Girl

A/N: I felt inspired to update because I received such a kind review asking for more, and it felt motivating. See, reviews are helpful and they accomplish something! However, I wondered if I should post this one because it is much shorter and more angsty than the current lot. I went ahead and did it anyway. I have a few other, entertaining one shots in the works that I will post with encouragement. Ones I think you will like! Also, if you have any ideas or suggestions, tell me, because I can really whip up a one shot with a little inspiration. I'll do it!

Lastly, **spoilers, **don't read if you aren't caught up with the manga because this is an alternate ending to one of the later chapters.

-IS

* * *

><p><strong>A Kind Girl<strong>

It was one of the very few times in his adult life that Kakashi felt like crying. He didn't know why Sasuke's abandonment hurt so much, but he suspected most of the pain he felt was not for himself, but for the heart he felt shattering beside him. He didn't know why or how he knew the depth of Sakura's feelings and could feel what she felt. He knew her to be unabashedly sincere when she told Sasuke that she would bear the burden of his pain in an instant. Kakashi wished the same for both of his students.

But Sakura felt no pain now that she slept comatose in the hellish genjutsu that Sasuke cast on her before turning heel and dragging Naruto to their final destination. Dirt and tears mixed on her cheeks. The sage finally disappeared and left Kakashi with his only female student, a reflection of all of the things he could have felt if his heart weren't so numbed to loss.

In a way, Sakura was everything he was not. She possessed and expressed an ocean of strong emotions, loved openly, bravely made terrible mistakes and owned up to them. She was not the perfect kunoichi in those manners, but she was still everything that was right in the shinobi world. In that way, Sakura was everything he wished could have been.

Kakashi's eyes widened when Sakura stirred, disrupting his empty ruminations. Her sensei dreaded the moment that she would wake up again and be met with disappointment and the face that represented it.

"Kaka..." she mumbled, propping herself up on her elbows. When the light of the sky hit her eyes, she realized. It showed in the deadened green of her eye that she realized.

Her small hands trembled. Soon those hands were poised towards her chest, with a kunai grasped in them. Although Sakura was crying again, she felt nothing but emptiness.

Kakashi watched. The gravity of the past settled over him. Memories of Sakumo and the knowledge of how the feelings of shame and failure could kill. The less she felt, the more he did.

"Sakura... Why would you...?"

She ignored the fragility in his normally stoic voice and focused her energy on holding the kunai steady. Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks, landing on her lap.

"I'm sorry... but there's no reason for me to burden everyone anymore. I'm nothing to him, he said it himself. I've never been able to do a damn thing but mess everything up. You would all be better off. No one will hurt-"

Sakura's gaunt voice faltered when she heard a cold "clink", and a kunai besides her own was produced from Kakahi's pouch. Her eyes widened when she saw that her sensei held his own kunai to his stomach.

"Fine Sakura, go ahead, do what you want," he commanded firmly. Two dark, steely eyes stared hard at her. "If you die, I will, too."

The kunai in her hands shook for a few more seconds while silence bathed them, before dropping to the ground with a cold thud.

A pair of gloved hands enveloped the smaller ones, steadying them.

"I'm so sorry," she said. The genjutsu that caused her anguish was finally dispelled at full.

Sakura was too predictable because she was too kind. And Kakashi loved her for it. The Sage had said that love was a complicated thing, but Kakashi was just tired.


	11. The Prank

Summary: Naruto convinces the team to pull the ultimate prank on Kakashi, and it backfires.

* * *

><p><strong>The Prank<strong>

The members of Team 7 had learned in their earliest moments not to mess with their sensei, and it started with Naruto's foolish chalkboard-eraser-on-the-doorframe stint. The young Genin-to-be already had an extensive history of pranks under his belt and had relished the amusement of catching a high ranked jonin in his trap. That said, the prank was pretty weak, even if their new teacher stepped right into it.

Back then, Sakura pretended to be disapproving of Naruto's antics. She would be hard pressed to admit, even to herself, that she actually _loved _stuff like that. Even though the prank had been a small success (measured by a fallen eraser that dusted their sensei's hair a duller shade of white-grey), from that moment on Sakura decided never to prank the infamous Copy Ninja again. It was the first and last time she wanted to hear Kakashi Hatake tell his charges that he hated them.

But the intimidation held by the aloof, mysterious Kakashi-sensei melted away after a decent amount of time. In fact, burning curiosity placed it completely. Even Sasuke Uchihua was on board with operation number two; see under Kakashi's mask. That involved quite a serious of rather lame, one-dimensional pranks in an effort to see underneath the underneath. All of them had been a failure.

And after nostalgically reflecting on the history of pranks, Naruto Uzumaki decided to revisit his mischievous roots. The tempting target was his sensei. Naruto had an idea, and he called it revenge.

"Don't you hate that Kakashi-sensei is always late?" Naruto suddenly asked his pink haired companion. He, Sakura and Sai stood in silence on Team 7 training grounds, waiting for the aforementioned man. Sakura could only roll her green eyes.

"What else is new?" She didn't quite like the intonation of her teammate's question, but refused to press him further. When she didn't, he did the predictable; he exploded with raw enthusiasm and excitement.

"Sakura-chan! Sai! Listen to me! You know what tomorrow is, right, right? It's April 1st! That means..."

"Don't tell me you participate in that stupid day! Grow up!" Behind her harsh words, curiosity burned in Sakura chest. Sai merely tilted his head, unfamiliar with the traditional customs behind Konoha's very own April Fools Day. Naruto whipped his head in all directions, making sure no one was eavesdropping on them in the grassy training ground. With one hand, he beckoned them closer.

"No prank we've tried has ever worked on Kakashi-sensei. I say we finally get him back for his antics." He watched Sakura frown and shake her head to mimic disapproval, but resolved to put her at ease. Even Sai seemed attentive when the blonde announced that he had thought of the most brilliant prank in the history of the village. Coming from Naruto, what could that mean?

"Don't you think we're too old for this now?" Sakura asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"So... you don't want to know, Sakura-chan? It doesn't matter how old we are, it just means we are more capable!" Sai smiled serenely.

"But you don't seem to have matured at all," Sai chimed in.

"SHUT UP!"

The pinkette was able to tune out their bickering and contemplated the potentially delightful satisfaction she might get from pulling one over on Kakashi-sensei, as long as there was no retaliation involved. Lately Kakashi had been quite distant from his students, despite the hard battles they fought together most recently. His every response was either non-committal, somewhat dismissive, lazy, or outright composed. Nothing affected him, nothing surprised him. She itched to get a peek of the old, laid back sensei they grew accustomed to out of battle. She wanted him to lighten up...

And pay her (ahem, _them_), some notice.

And plus, a prank! She finally conceded, and even Sai was at least open to hearing Naruto's plan.

"Alright, here it goes: Kakashi-sensei has ninken summons, right? So, one of us gets into the summons realm. The rest of us convince Kakashi-sensei to summon a ninken, and then POOF! One of us pops out and scares the shit out of him!"

Utter silence met his words.

"Naruto, you do know that's impossible, right? You need a contract to enter the realm of a summon-" Sai's factual rebuttal was cut off quite suddenly when Sakura doubled over, clutching her stomach. Cool black and blue eyes turned to the girl in urgent concern. She couldn't quite catch her breath, but when she did, she couldn't stop the laughter.

"T-t-that's so stupid! C-Could you imagine his f-face?" she gasped in between laughter. A huge smile lit up Naruto's face, and then he, too erupted in unstoppable laughter. Sai smiled, because he thought it was appropriate given his comrade's social cues. But he couldn't understand what was funny.

For the others, the possibility of Kakashi's reaction to such a ridiculous feat would be more priceless and forbidden than something like hugging Neji Hyuga. A ninja forced out of composure was an odd but amusing thing. Particular when it could be their very own Copy Ninja himself.

The remnant of Inner Sakura pumped it's fist.

Somehow, they did it. Naruto was dead serious about pulling Konoha's most privately epic prank before he became tied to in the job of being Hokage (his words). And with Naruto's newfound powers, he could do almost anything. With the help of some other jonin who were clueless to their plans, they found the adequate scroll and contract to make with ninken. Since Sakura did not yet possess a summon, they decided that out of the three, she should do the deed.

It was too easy to get Lady's Tsunade's approval to make a contract (especially when she had one too many cups of sake). The woman never even asked which summon Sakura planned on trying, and simply assumed it would be with Katsuya. That would come later. For now, the ultimate prank beckoned.

Of course, all three members of Team Seven had to beg the mutt Pakkun to keep his mug shut to Kakashi when Sakura had finally made the contract and therefore opened a door to the ninken world. Fortunately for the trio, the pug's loyalties did not seem partial to Kakashi in this situation. It might have been because Naruto agreed to massage his soft puppy paws for ten minutes. With Pakkun's help, Naruto knew everything would fall into place.

Kakashi entered his apartment with nothing urgent nor peculiar on his mind. A film of sweat covered his upper body, warm beneath his standard jonin gear. Training with Sakura, Naruto and Sai actually worked him up more than it usually would, but he blamed it on the warm weather. Without further thought, he unzipped his flak jacket, unpeeled his shirt, and tossed the layers on his couch.

Just one thing stood out as strange, but Kakashi didn't let it linger in his mind. It was something Naruto had said, and something about the way all three of them acted. Something about remembering this particular day...

Kakashi sighed. Well, if Naruto was up to something, it wasn't like he had the grace or tact to pull anything that Kakashi wouldn't immediately see through. Sai was too oblivious and Sakura wouldn't partake in any mischievous stunts, as far as he knew. The Copy Ninja made his way over to the window and cracked it open, willing the heat to dissipate from his somewhat cramped apartment. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of his face. With two fingers, he dragged his mask to below his chin.

"_Ne, Kakashi-sensei, wait up! I have a favor to ask you!"_

Naruto had hunted him down right after he dismissed his subordinates. Kakashi was wary about what might come next; would he have to turn down another invitation to Ichiraku? Naruto's face always looked too crestfallen when the jonin sensei declined his offers.

It wasn't like he didn't want to spend time with his students. But, well, that's exactly what it was. Sakura and Naruto in particular had grown so much without him over the last year. It made him proud, impressed, and yet wary to think of it. In some ways entirely, each had surpassed him. And Kakashi certainly didn't want to stifle that growth.

Naruto and Sakura had done so much _better _without him. Sure Kakashi supplied the battle experience, strategy and intelligence, but each student still had a ways to go on their own path. Yet Team 7 had dependency issues; they clung to what was nostalgic. They would never let go of Sasuke, which he admired them for. But his students would not give up on _him, _either. They hung around him quite a bit and called him sensei despite the fact that he was certain he had not much else to teach them. And so, Kakashi forced himself to place some distance between himself and his students so that they could grow without him.

Unsurprisingly, they didn't think it was fair.

_"Kakashi sensei, well, Pakkun helped me with something the other day and there's something I need from him. Do you think you could summon him today so he can deliver the message? Not now! Later, I'll be ready."_

That was indeed an enigma coming from the orange-clad shinobi. It was true that Pakkun had been summoned a few days ago and spent some time talking to Naruto - about what, he didn't know. He would have to interrogate the ninken about it.

His feet carried him over to the sink, where he filled a bowl with water (Pakkun wouldn't stand the heat in this apartment) and placed it on the floor. Fully appreciating the privacy of his own home, Kakashi also stepped out of his pants and bindings, now clad in only his undershorts.

For a moment, the man stiffened. Two chakra signatures. One was hidden quite well, and one was poorly stifled. What were Naruto and Sai doing by his apartment? Naruto probably came to ask him about Pakkun. He felt the signatures draw closer and shift towards the grassy yard near his complex. The shinobi frowned and went to close the window, drawing the blinds. If Naruto was up to his old antic of trying to unmask him, well... he was too tired for that.

_I might as well call on Pakkun now if Naruto's near, _Kakashi thought wearily. He bit his thumb lazily and pushed it on the floor.

"Summon!" A cloud of thick smoke invaded the floor, but cleared quickly.

What.

The-

Poison in the water? What could possibly be causing him to see a pink color in the place of a ninken? He rubbed his lone eye and blinked for a second, convinced he had hallucinated.

Sakura was sitting on the floor.

Sakura couldn't wait to see the look on Kakashi's normally detached face (or what they could see of it). She sat in position, exactly when Pakkun had told her to in the ninken realm. When she suddenly become enveloped in smoke, she knew everything had gone according to plan. Naruto was supposed to have hunted down Kakashi after training and convinced him to do a summon right then.

The smoked cleared from her vision, and she thrust out a finger.

"You're late!" she chimed sappily. She didn't know what else to say. But then she couldn't say anything else-the sight knocked all breath from her lungs.

Kakashi's eye widened, shocked under his smooth white brows. His other eye was closed but exposed, as no headband laid over his forehead. A mess of silvery hair fell over his brow, instead. The other piece of cloth that was starkly absent would be, oh, his mask. A bare face. His eye wasn't the only thing that betrayed surprise - try a mouth, a perfect mouth, slightly agape. She saw his mouth.

Sakura was staring at Kakashi's mouth. Because her eyes were afraid to move even a millimeter anywhere else. She couldn't look her sensei in the eye, let alone anywhere else, when he was completely bare, devoid of clothes save for a pair of pale blue boxer shorts. In her peripheries, a perfectly tone, lean body tempted her gaze.

Kakashi was never one to be paralyzed for too long- his mind was too analytical, even if he still couldn't absorb how he managed to summon a small pink haired medical ninja in place of a ninken. Hell, that could prove to be incredibly useful. But in this current, compromising position-

Sakura shrieked. She covered her eyes, then uncovered them to gape at his face for a moment more, and then disappeared quicker than Hinata's consciousness when around Naruto. It was only more awkward that she had to take the time open the window before leaping out of it, accompanied by her dignity.

Kakashi snapped out of his paralysis, threw up his mask and managed to pull on most of his other garments in a few seconds (a learned skill, thanks to his time in ANBU).

"Sakura!" He turned towards the window, sure that there had been some grave mistake that needed correcting immediately. How in the world...?

In another instant, Naruto, accompanied by Sai, crashed through Kakashi's window to greet the now clothed jonin.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto pointed with a huge grin, barely containing laughter. "April fools!" Sai was smiling, but seemed more in tune with the off situation.

Kakashi found himself thinking something he hadn't thought in years about his students.

_ I think... they really are idiots. I hate them. _

"Why do I have an suspicion that you two know exactly what just happened?" Kakashi asked in a voice not too kind. Naruto whipped his head around.

"Did Sakura really jump out the window? Why isn't she here?"

"Why don't you explain yourself, seeing as you invited yourself in..." Sai happily supplied the information by unpacking the joke in its entirety.

"Naruto came up with an idea to play a "prank" on you in retaliation for your seemingly cold mannerism. He asked you to do a summon while Sakura waited in the ninken realm after she made a contract. When you meant to summon Pakkun, you would summon Sakura instead and it might scare you in a way that is comical to Naruto, probably due to an uncharacteristic lack of composure. An elaborate prank, I wasn't sure it would work, but Naruto thought it necessary to punish you for always being late."

"Sai, do you have to say it like that?!" The pale boy cocked his head.

"Although I don't know if it quite went to plan..."

Naruto exploded with laughter, even if sensei's eyes did radiate the look of pure derision. Kakashi placed a hand on his head.

"I cannot possibly begin to understand the idiocracy behind your so called prank," he said evenly, but the two were sure he wasn't very mad. Kakashi shook his head. "But Sakura..."

"Where did she go?"

"Well, Naruto, this just proves how inadequate you truly are with planning or tactical skill. The joke is entirely on you."

"Huh!?" Both Naruto and Sai's gazed snapped up to the Copy Nin, a tiny smirk under his mask.

"Sakura-chan saw my face."

Dumbfounded silence.

"Was it so scary that she fled out the window?" Sai asked innocently.

"No," Kakashi coughed, perturbed. He turned his face towards the window. "I think she's embarrassed..." He neglected to mention that the girl saw much more than his face. Which was worse?

It took Sakura about twenty minutes to depart from her current activity of hyperventilating behind a tree to step into the street. She needed a jutsu to put a mental block on her mind, anything to distract her from the prank that backfired to epic proportions. There was too much to process and yet too much to try to forget. One thing was for certain.

Naruto was dead.

"Oy, Sakura..."

The target in question froze at the sound of her name, and the voice who had called it. Unfortunately there was window to flee from this time.

She turned around slowly and faced Kakashi. A fully clothed Kakashi.

She stared, and he sighed. Nonetheless, he approached her.

"April fools, huh? You know, I always knew Naruto was like that, but you..." His eyes widened as he watched his student hunch forward and begin apologizing profusely. It was just like when they first met, he noted inwardly.

"S-Sorry Kakashi-sensei, it wasn't supposed to be like that! I-I-!"

The Copy Ninja raised a hand to his chin and turned his face away, mocking deep thought.

"I also thought we only had one pervert on the team," he said. Sakura blasted off and immediately lost the battle to keep a fervent red blush from staining her cheeks. How could he!?

"What? N-N-no way, it's not like that! I wasn't-! I-!" Her defensive protests were only interrupted by the smirk in Kakashi's eyes, and a light hearted chuckle. Indignity plastered his student's face. "Wait a minute! You're accusing me of being the pervert on the team! How do I know this wasn't all one big trick played on me?"

Kakashi nearly snorted. As if he, one of the most privacy-loving shinobi of Konoha, would reveal almost a_ll _of himself to his female student.

"Well, that would be a clever way of thinking if Sai hadn't revealed the true intent of antics. Something about wanting to punish me for being too cold?" Caught, Sakura's face fell and a frown tugged at the corner of her lips. Damn it Sai, always saying too much! And yet, her teammate was the one to break the ice.

"Well, Sai has a point I guess," she dared to admit. It was her turn to be amused on her sensei's perplexed expression.

"Fine. Consider this a truce, Sakura. You _did _see my face, so that counts, doesn't it?" Once again, the color of cherry blossoms in full bloom spread over the entirety of her cheeks. Involuntarily, her eyes drifted to the part of Kakashi's mask that Sakura now knew contained a perfect mouth. If Kakashi noticed, then what he said next served as dreaded retaliation.

"So let's get back and you can explain to me how you managed to enter the Summons realm. That part was somewhat impressive. And after that, you can explain to Tsunade-sama all about how you made an unauthorized contract with ninken to try and peek at your sensei."

Sakura was ghost. She wanted to hit him. She should have known that behind the cool demeanor, Kakashi was still lazily light-hearted, if not cruelly witty.

When it came to maintaining their relationship, they had both learned their lesson.


End file.
